Rail-joint.



No. 723,512. I YATENTED MAR. 24, 1903.

- J. G. W. BISGHOFF.

- RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.18. 1902.

:10 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 723,512. P-ATENTED MAR. '24, 1903..

J. G. W. BISGHDFF.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18. 1902.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2..

Jam flaw 9 CWWWW V I I JOHN C. W. BISCHOFF, OF

Fries.

PATENT BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 723,512, dated March 24, 1903.

Application filed November 18, 1902. Serial No. 131,891. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

a citizen of the United States, residing at Butler, in the county of Butler and State ofPenn;

sylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail'Joints; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to joints for trackrails; and it has for its object to provide a cheap andeflicient device by which the meeting ends of track-rails may be held securelyagainst both lateral and longitudinal displacement and which may be easily and quickly applied and removed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood from the following description.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several 7 views, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the meeting ends of two rails having the present joint applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a perspective View showing the end portion of one rail with one of the fish-plates connected thereto."

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the fish-plates. of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there are shown two rails 10 and 11, and through the web of each of the rails are formed three an gular openings 12.

The joint consists of a fish-plate 13, from one face of which project keys 14, arranged Fig. lis a section on line 14 in two groups of three keys each, and these keys are of such size and arrangement that when the rails 10 and 11 are disposed end to end and the fish-plate is disposed to lie in close contact with the faces of the webs at one side of the rails the keys may be engaged with and will fit snugly the openings 12. From the fish-plate 13 depends a'flange 15, at the lower edge of which is a laterally-directed flange 16, which is adapted to lie against the bottom of the rail when the flange 15 lies against the side edge of the base of the rail. From the flange 15 projects outwardly a flange 17 which is adapted to lie upon the upper face of a railway-tie and is provided with notches 19 in its outer edge to receive spikes. It will be noted that the flange 16 is of lesser length than the flange 17, and it will be understood that these flanges may have any desired proportions. Asecond fish-plate20is employed, and in this second fish-plate are two groups of three openings 21, these openings being arranged to receive the ends of the keys when the fish-plate is adjusted against the face of the webs of the rail opposite to the fish-plate 13. From the fish-plate 20 depends a flange 22, the lower portion of which is bent inwardly, so that said flange may fit over and under the base of the rail. The free ends of in height, and in the upper faces thereof are formed alining notches in a plane close to the outer face of the fish-plate 20. A locking-plate 26 is provided and has openings 27, through which the reduced ends of the keys are received, the plate being then moved .downwardly to engage the upper sides of the openings thereof in the notches of the keys to prevent withdrawal of the keys from the openings in the rails. The lockingplate 26 has its lowerportion bent outwardly to rest against or upon a tie, and in the outer edge of this outwardly bent portion are formed notches 28 to receive spikes, which holdthe plate in its locking position. When the plates are to be disconnected, the spikes are drawn from the plates, and the lockingplate is then raised to disengage it from the notches of the keys, after which it may be withdrawn from the keys. The keys may be then drawn from the rails.

When the joint is engaged with the rails, said rails are held securely against displacement with respect to each other in all directions, and it will be understood that in practice modifications of the specific construction shown may be made and any suitable mate rials and proportions may be used for the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is 1. The combination with track-rails having transverse openings therethrough, of a fishplate having keys engaged with the openings of both rails, a fish-plate at the opposite side of the rails from the first fish-plate and hav ing openings through which the keys are enthe keys beyond the fish-plate 20 are reduced ICO gaged, said fish-plates having each a finger for engagement beneath the flanges of the rails and a flange extending in the opposite directionfrom the finger to lie upon a tie, said keys beyond the second plate being reduced in height and having their upper faces notched, and a locking-plate having openings in which the reduced ends of the keys are received, said locking-plate being movable into and out of engagement with the notches of the keys, the lockingplateand the first-named fishplate having flanges to rest upon a tie and adapted to receive spikes.

2. The combination with track-rails having transverse openings therethrough, of a fishplate having keys'engaged with the openings of both rails, a fish-plate at the opposite side of the rails from the first fish-plate and having openings through which the keys are engaged, said keys beyond the second plate having their lower portions cut away and having their upper faces notched, and a lockingplate having openings in which the reduced ends of the keys are received, said lockingplate being movable into and out of engagement with the notches of the keys.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN G. W. BISCHOFF. Witnesses:

ALEX. MITCHELL, ANDREW G. WILLIAMS. 

